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Ocean Shores staff present streets management plan after consultant finds citywide PCI of 90
Summary
City staff reviewed a multi-year Streets Management Plan by Kimley Horn showing Ocean Shores’ pavement condition index at 90, described repair options and funding scenarios, and proposed next steps for public-works review and budgeting.
Public works staff presented the city’s draft 2024 Streets Management Plan on a consultant report showing Ocean Shores’ pavement condition index (PCI) at 90, one speaker said — “the highest they have ever seen of any city that they've done this for.” The presentation explained repair types, mapped pavement markings and vegetation issues, and discussed funding from the city’s Transportation Benefit District.
The consultant Kimley Horn surveyed all streets and produced a map and an online tool that breaks out material (asphalt, concrete, gravel), per-road PCI, markings and shoulder/vegetation erosion. The presenter said the PCI of 90 compares favorably with typical PCI ranges the consultant sees of 50 to 70, but also cautioned the city still has localized areas with lower ratings and visible dips or “roller coaster” sections that the automated survey did not capture.
The plan describes several maintenance approaches: slurry seal (also called slurry sealer) as a thin asphalt emulsion surface treatment; crack sealing for cracks between a quarter-inch and 1 inch; chip seal (distinguished from slurry seal); overlays (resurfacing) of varying thickness; and base repairs that excavate and rebuild failed pavement structure. The presenter said slurry seal and overlays are largely preventive or surface treatments while base repair addresses underlying structural failure.
The report includes an appendix with per-road PCI and a recommended five‑year program and a chart showing annual funding needed to hold PCI at 90 (and alternate funding scenarios that would allow PCI to fall to 85). The presenter said the report’s maps and the consultant’s website will let staff update projects and refreshed financials as work is completed.
Funding and next steps were the main focus of council questions. Council members and staff discussed that Transportation Benefit District (TBD) funds and local gas tax revenue are the primary near-term source for repairs; the presenter said there are “over 2,000,000 in there right now” but also acknowledged uncertainty and offered to confirm exact balances with city finance staff. The presenter also proposed subtracting any potential Army Corps of Engineers reimbursement for work on Ocean Shores Boulevard (Point Brown through East Ocean Shores and Sportsman) from the five‑year cost estimate to create a “best‑case” funding scenario.
Council members and staff agreed on procedural next steps rather than adopting a plan at the meeting: staff recommended a site drive with council liaisons and department leaders to inspect representative streets at PCI bands of 90 and 80 and to determine what long‑term PCI target the city wants to hold (for example, stay at 90 or accept a lower target such as 85). Staff also said the Streets Management Plan and the consultant’s online tool will be presented as part of a public‑works and projects update to the full council in July.
Discussion items noted in the presentation included localized shoulder erosion where roadside vegetation has encroached on pavement, a citywide inventory of pavement markings and signs (including crosswalks that need replacement, for example in front of the convention center), and pavement striping work scheduled the same day for the downtown roundabout. Staff emphasized the distinction between surface treatments and structural base repairs and flagged areas where historical construction materials (the presenter referenced “driftwood” found under some roads) may require excavation and full base replacement rather than surface treatments.
There were no formal motions or votes on the Streets Management Plan at the meeting. The record shows only direction to staff to confirm TBD revenue figures, to drive target streets with council liaisons to set an acceptable PCI target, and to include the plan in the July public‑works and projects update.
The presentation and discussion will be followed by: staff confirmation of Transportation Benefit District revenue; a site drive with council liaisons and public‑works staff; updating the consultant’s online tool as projects are completed; and a July update to the council that will include recommended project prioritization based on agreed funding assumptions.
